title: Utilization of stem cells in alginate for nucleus pulposus tissue engineering.
abstract: In a general view of anatomy, intervertebral disc is composed of three parts: annulus fibrosus (AF), nucleus pulposus (NP), and cartilage endplate (CEP). Recently, several types of stem cells were successfully isolated from these corresponding regions, but up to now, no research was performed about which kind of stem cells is the most efficient candidate for NP tissue engineering or for stem cell-based disc regeneration therapy. In this study, we compared the regenerative potentials of the above-mentioned three kinds of disc-derived stem cells with that of the classic bone marrow (BM)-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in a rabbit disc degeneration model. By magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray, histology, etc. evaluations, we found that cartilage endplate-derived stem cells (CESCs) showed superior capacity compared with the annulus fibrosus-derived stem cells (AFSCs), nucleus pulposus-derived stem cells (NPSCs), and BM-MSCs (p<0.05); additionally, when comparing the CESC group with the normal control group, there existed no statistical difference in X-ray (p>0.05). Those results demonstrated that the CESC-seeded alginate construct performed the most powerful ability for NP regeneration, while AFSCs showed the most inferior potency, NPSCs and BM-MSCs had similar regenerative capacity and located in the middle. All in all, our study showed that CESCs might act as an efficient seed cell source for NP tissue engineering, which paved a new way for the biological solution of disc degeneration diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Xinqiao Hospital, The Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Lan-Tao
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-Han
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chang-Qing
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhen-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tong-Wei
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Cheng-Jie
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Xiong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000464:Alginates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000378:metabolism; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011817:Rabbits; D011859:Radiography; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D013388:Succinimides / Q000378:metabolism; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: C087165:5-(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester; D000464:Alginates; D005452:Fluoresceins; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D013388:Succinimides; D020723:Glucuronic Acid